The Bacillus subtilis ydjL (bdhA) gene encodes acetoin reductase/2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase

Genome sequence of the plant growth promoting strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum B9601-Y2 and expression of mersacidin and other secondary metabolites

The plant-associated Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum strain B9601-Y2, isolated from wheat rhizosphere, is a powerful plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium. Its relative large genome size of 4.24Mbp, exceeding that of other representatives of the B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum taxon, is mainly due to the presence of 18 DNA-islands containing remnants of phages, a unique restriction modification system, a gene cluster for mersacidin synthesis, and an orphan gene cluster devoted to non-ribosomal synthesis of an unidentified peptide. Like other members of the taxon, the Y2 genome contains giant gene clusters for non-ribosomal synthesis of the polyketides macrolactin, difficidin, and bacillaene, the antifungal lipopeptides bacillomycin D, and fengycin, the siderophore bacillibactin, and the dipeptide bacilysin. A gene cluster encoding enzymes for a degradative pathway with 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate and 2-keto-3-deoxy-phosphogluconate as intermediates was explored by genome mining and found as being a unique feature for representatives of the plantarum subspecies. A survey of the Y2 genome against other B. amyloliquefaciens genomes revealed 130 genes only occurring in subsp. plantarum but not in subsp. amyloliquefaciens. Notably, the surfactin gene cluster is not functional due to a large deletion removing parts of the Srf synthetases B and C. Expression of polyketides, lipopeptides, mersacidin, and of the growth hormone indole-3-acetic acid in Y2 was demonstrated by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively.

The genome of Pelobacter carbinolicus reveals surprising metabolic capabilities and physiological features

Background

The bacterium Pelobacter carbinolicus is able to grow by fermentation, syntrophic hydrogen/formate transfer, or electron transfer to sulfur from short-chain alcohols, hydrogen or formate; it does not oxidize acetate and is not known to ferment any sugars or grow autotrophically. The genome of P. carbinolicus was sequenced in order to understand its metabolic capabilities and physiological features in comparison with its relatives, acetate-oxidizing Geobacter species.

Results

Pathways were predicted for catabolism of known substrates: 2,3-butanediol, acetoin, glycerol, 1,2-ethanediol, ethanolamine, choline and ethanol. Multiple isozymes of 2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase, ATP synthase and [FeFe]-hydrogenase were differentiated and assigned roles according to their structural properties and genomic contexts. The absence of asparagine synthetase and the presence of a mutant tRNA for asparagine encoded among RNA-active enzymes suggest that P. carbinolicus may make asparaginyl-tRNA in a novel way. Catabolic glutamate dehydrogenases were discovered, implying that the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle can function catabolically. A phosphotransferase system for uptake of sugars was discovered, along with enzymes that function in 2,3-butanediol production. Pyruvate:ferredoxin/flavodoxin oxidoreductase was identified as a potential bottleneck in both the supply of oxaloacetate for oxidation of acetate by the TCA cycle and the connection of glycolysis to production of ethanol. The P. carbinolicus genome was found to encode autotransporters and various appendages, including three proteins with similarity to the geopilin of electroconductive nanowires.

Conclusions

Several surprising metabolic capabilities and physiological features were predicted from the genome of P. carbinolicus, suggesting that it is more versatile than anticipated.

Comparative genomics of plant-associated Pseudomonas spp.: insights into diversity and inheritance of traits involved in multitrophic interactions

We provide here a comparative genome analysis of ten strains within the Pseudomonas fluorescens group including seven new genomic sequences. These strains exhibit a diverse spectrum of traits involved in biological control and other multitrophic interactions with plants, microbes, and insects. Multilocus sequence analysis placed the strains in three sub-clades, which was reinforced by high levels of synteny, size of core genomes, and relatedness of orthologous genes between strains within a sub-clade. The heterogeneity of the P. fluorescens group was reflected in the large size of its pan-genome, which makes up approximately 54% of the pan-genome of the genus as a whole, and a core genome representing only 45–52% of the genome of any individual strain. We discovered genes for traits that were not known previously in the strains, including genes for the biosynthesis of the siderophores achromobactin and pseudomonine and the antibiotic 2-hexyl-5-propyl-alkylresorcinol; novel bacteriocins; type II, III, and VI secretion systems; and insect toxins. Certain gene clusters, such as those for two type III secretion systems, are present only in specific sub-clades, suggesting vertical inheritance. Almost all of the genes associated with multitrophic interactions map to genomic regions present in only a subset of the strains or unique to a specific strain. To explore the evolutionary origin of these genes, we mapped their distributions relative to the locations of mobile genetic elements and repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP) elements in each genome. The mobile genetic elements and many strain-specific genes fall into regions devoid of REP elements (i.e., REP deserts) and regions displaying atypical tri-nucleotide composition, possibly indicating relatively recent acquisition of these loci. Collectively, the results of this study highlight the enormous heterogeneity of the P. fluorescens group and the importance of the variable genome in tailoring individual strains to their specific lifestyles and functional repertoire.

We sequenced the genomes of seven strains of the Pseudomonas fluorescens group that colonize plant surfaces and function as biological control agents, protecting plants from disease. In this study, we demonstrated the genomic diversity of the group by comparing these strains to each other and to three other strains that were sequenced previously. Only about half of the genes in each strain are present in all of the other strains, and each strain has hundreds of unique genes that are not present in the other genomes. We mapped the genes that contribute to biological control in each genome and found that most of the biological control genes are in the variable regions of the genome, which are not shared by all of the other strains. This finding is consistent with our knowledge of the distinctive biology of each strain. Finally, we looked for new genes that are likely to confer antimicrobial traits needed to suppress plant pathogens, but have not been identified previously. In each genome, we discovered many of these new genes, which provide avenues for future discovery of new traits with the potential to manage plant diseases in agriculture or natural ecosystems.

Transcriptomic profiling of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 in response to maize root exudates

Background

Plant root exudates have been shown to play an important role in mediating interactions between plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and their host plants. Most investigations were performed on Gram-negative rhizobacteria, while much less is known about Gram-positive rhizobacteria. To elucidate early responses of PGPR to root exudates, we investigated changes in the transcriptome of a Gram-positive PGPR to plant root exudates.

Results

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 is a well-studied Gram-positive PGPR. To obtain a comprehensive overview of FZB42 gene expression in response to maize root exudates, microarray experiments were performed. A total of 302 genes representing 8.2% of the FZB42 transcriptome showed significantly altered expression levels in the presence of root exudates. The majority of the genes (261) was up-regulated after incubation of FZB42 with root exudates, whereas only 41 genes were down-regulated. Several groups of the genes which were strongly induced by the root exudates are involved in metabolic pathways relating to nutrient utilization, bacterial chemotaxis and motility, and non-ribosomal synthesis of antimicrobial peptides and polyketides.

Conclusions

Here we present a transcriptome analysis of the root-colonizing bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 in response to maize root exudates. The 302 genes identified as being differentially transcribed are proposed to be involved in interactions of Gram-positive bacteria with plants.

Comparative genome analysis of central nitrogen metabolism and its control by GlnR in the class Bacilli

BACKGROUND

The assimilation of nitrogen in bacteria is achieved through only a few metabolic conversions between alpha-ketoglutarate, glutamate and glutamine. The enzymes that catalyze these conversions are glutamine synthetase, glutaminase, glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamine alpha-ketoglutarate aminotransferase. In low-GC Gram-positive bacteria the transcriptional control over the levels of the related enzymes is mediated by four regulators: GlnR, TnrA, GltC and CodY. We have analyzed the genomes of all species belonging to the taxonomic families Bacillaceae, Listeriaceae, Staphylococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Leuconostocaceae and Streptococcaceae to determine the diversity in central nitrogen metabolism and reconstructed the regulation by GlnR.

RESULTS

Although we observed a substantial difference in the extent of central nitrogen metabolism in the various species, the basic GlnR regulon was remarkably constant and appeared not affected by the presence or absence of the other three main regulators. We found a conserved regulatory association of GlnR with glutamine synthetase (glnRA operon), and the transport of ammonium (amtB-glnK) and glutamine/glutamate (i.e. via glnQHMP, glnPHQ, gltT, alsT). In addition less-conserved associations were found with, for instance, glutamate dehydrogenase in Streptococcaceae, purine catabolism and the reduction of nitrite in Bacillaceae, and aspartate/asparagine deamination in Lactobacillaceae.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analyses imply GlnR-mediated regulation in constraining the import of ammonia/amino-containing compounds and the production of intracellular ammonia under conditions of high nitrogen availability. Such a role fits with the intrinsic need for tight control of ammonia levels to limit futile cycling.

Cloning, expression and characterization of meso-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase from Klebsiella pneumoniae

The budC gene encoding the meso-2,3-BDH from Klebsiella pneumoniae XJ-Li was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) pLys. Hypothetical amino acid sequence alignments revealed that the enzyme belongs to the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase family. After purification and refolding, the recombinant enzyme had activities of 218 U/mg for reduction of acetoin and 66 U/mg for oxidation of meso-2,3-butanediol. Highest activities were at pH 8.0 and 9.0 respectively. These are higher than other meso-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenases from K. pneumoniae. The low K (m) value (0.65 mM) for acetoin indicated that the enzyme can easily reduce acetoin to meso-2,3-butanediol. There were no significant activities towards 2R,3R-2,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol and 2S,3S-2,3-butanediol, suggesting that the enzyme has a high stereospecificity for the meso-dihydric alcohol.

The transcription factor AlsR binds and regulates the promoter of the alsSD operon responsible for acetoin formation in Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus subtilis forms acetoin under anaerobic fermentative growth conditions and as a product of the aerobic carbon overflow metabolism. Acetoin formation from pyruvate requires α-acetolactate synthase and acetolactate decarboxylase, both encoded by the alsSD operon. The alsR gene, encoding the LysR-type transcriptional regulator AlsR, was found to be essential for the in vivo expression of alsSD in response to anaerobic acetate accumulation, the addition of acetate, low pH, and the aerobic stationary phase. The expressions of the alsSD operon and the alsR regulatory gene were independent of other regulators of the anaerobic regulatory network, including ResDE, Fnr, and ArfM. A negative autoregulation of alsR was observed. In vitro transcription from the alsSD promoter using purified B. subtilis RNA polymerase required AlsR. DNA binding studies with purified recombinant AlsR in combination with promoter mutagenesis experiments identified a 19-bp high-affinity palindromic binding site (TAAT-N(11)-ATTA) at positions -76 to -58 (regulatory binding site [RBS]) and a low-affinity site (AT-N(11)-AT) at positions -41 to -27 (activator binding site [ABS]) upstream of the transcriptional start site of alsSD. The RBS and ABS were found to be essential for in vivo alsSD transcription. AlsR binding to both sites induced the formation of higher-order, transcription-competent complexes. The AlsR protein carrying the S100A substitution at the potential coinducer binding site still bound to the RBS and ABS. However, AlsR(S100A) failed to form the higher-order complex and to initiate in vivo and in vitro transcription. A model for AlsR promoter binding and transcriptional activation was deduced.

Characterization and regulation of the 2,3-butanediol pathway in Serratia marcescens

Serratia marcescens has been proved to be a potential strain for industrial 2,3-butanediol production for its high yield, productivity, and other advantages. In this study, the genes slaA, slaB, slaC, and slaR were successfully cloned which were further confirmed to be encoding acetolactate decarboxylase, acetolactate synthase, 2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase, and a LysR-like regulator, respectively. Unlike in Klebsiella sp. or Klebsiella pneumonie and Vibrio sp. or Vibrio cholerae, the gene slaC is separated from other genes. Then it showed that two regulators, SwrR and SlaR, are in charge of this process by exerting effect on the transcription of genes slaA and slaB. By contrast, the expression of gene slaC is unaffected by the two regulators. It means that these two regulators affect the production of 2,3-butanediol by regulating the production of acetoin. Based on these findings, we successfully accelerated the 2,3-butanediol production by inactivation of gene swrR. The obtained results and further investigations should lead to a more suitable fermentation strategy and strain improvement which would be applicable to the industrial production of 2,3-butanediol.

Genome sequences of the biotechnologically important Bacillus megaterium strains QM B1551 and DSM319

Bacillus megaterium is deep-rooted in the Bacillus phylogeny, making it an evolutionarily key species and of particular importance in understanding genome evolution, dynamics, and plasticity in the bacilli. B. megaterium is a commercially available, nonpathogenic host for the biotechnological production of several substances, including vitamin B(12), penicillin acylase, and amylases. Here, we report the analysis of the first complete genome sequences of two important B. megaterium strains, the plasmidless strain DSM319 and QM B1551, which harbors seven indigenous plasmids. The 5.1-Mbp chromosome carries approximately 5,300 genes, while QM B1551 plasmids represent a combined 417 kb and 523 genes, one of the largest plasmid arrays sequenced in a single bacterial strain. We have documented extensive gene transfer between the plasmids and the chromosome. Each strain carries roughly 300 strain-specific chromosomal genes that account for differences in their experimentally confirmed phenotypes. B. megaterium is able to synthesize vitamin B(12) through an oxygen-independent adenosylcobalamin pathway, which together with other key energetic and metabolic pathways has now been fully reconstructed. Other novel genes include a second ftsZ gene, which may be responsible for the large cell size of members of this species, as well as genes for gas vesicles, a second β-galactosidase gene, and most but not all of the genes needed for genetic competence. Comprehensive analyses of the global Bacillus gene pool showed that only an asymmetric region around the origin of replication was syntenic across the genus. This appears to be a characteristic feature of the Bacillus spp. genome architecture and may be key to their sporulating lifestyle.

2,3-butanediol production by acetogenic bacteria, an alternative route to chemical synthesis, using industrial waste gas

2,3-Butanediol (23BD) is a high-value chemical usually produced petrochemically but which can also be synthesized by some bacteria. To date, the best microbial 23BD production rates have been observed using pathogenic bacteria in fermentation systems that depend on sugars as the carbon and energy sources for product synthesis. Here we present evidence of 23BD production by three nonpathogenic acetogenic Clostridium species-Clostridium autoethanogenum, C. ljungdahlii, and C. ragsdalei-using carbon monoxide-containing industrial waste gases or syngas as the sole source of carbon and energy. Through an analysis of the C. ljungdahlii genome, the complete pathway from carbon monoxide to 23BD has been proposed. Homologues of the genes involved in this pathway were also confirmed for the other two species investigated. A gene expression study demonstrates a correlation between mRNA accumulation from 23BD biosynthetic genes and the onset of 23BD production, while a broader expression study of Wood-Ljungdahl pathway genes provides a transcription-level view of one of the oldest existing biochemical pathways.

Increased fitness and alteration of metabolic pathways during Bacillus subtilis evolution in the laboratory

Five batch cultures of Bacillus subtilis were subjected to evolution in the laboratory for 6,000 generations under conditions repressing sporulation in complex liquid medium containing glucose. Between generations 1,000 and 2,000, variants with a distinct small-colony morphology arose and swept through four of the five populations that had been previously noted for their loss of sporulation (H. Maughan et al., Genetics 177:937-948, 2007). To better understand the nature of adaptation in these variants, individual strains were isolated from one population before (WN715) and after (WN716) the sweep. In addition to colony morphology, strains WN715 and WN716 differed in their motility, aerotaxis, and cell morphology. Competition experiments showed that strain WN716 had evolved a distinct fitness advantage over the ancestral strain and strain WN715 during growth and the transition to the postexponential growth phase, which was more pronounced when WN715 was present in the coculture. Microarray analyses revealed candidate genes in which mutations may have produced some of the observed phenotypes. For example, loss of motility in WN716 was accompanied by decreased transcription of all flagellar, motility, and chemotaxis genes on the microarray. Transcription of alsS and alsD was also lower in strain WN716, and the predicted loss of acetoin production and enhanced acetate production was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The results suggested that the derived colony morphology of strain WN716 was associated with increased fitness, the alteration of several metabolic pathways, and the loss of a typical postexponential-phase response.

Novel (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase from potential industrial strain Paenibacillus polymyxa ATCC 12321

A (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase (BDH99::67) from Paenibacillus polymyxa ATCC 12321 was functionally characterized. The genetic characteristics of BDH99::67 are completely different from those of meso- and (2S,3S)-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenases. The results showed that BDH99::67 belongs to the medium-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily and not to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily, to which meso- and (2S,3S)-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenases belong.

D-2,3-butanediol production due to heterologous expression of an acetoin reductase in Clostridium acetobutylicum

Acetoin reductase (ACR) catalyzes the conversion of acetoin to 2,3-butanediol. Under certain conditions, Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 (and strains derived from it) generates both d- and l-stereoisomers of acetoin, but because of the absence of an ACR enzyme, it does not produce 2,3-butanediol. A gene encoding ACR from Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 was functionally expressed in C. acetobutylicum under the control of two strong promoters, the constitutive thl promoter and the late exponential adc promoter. Both ACR-overproducing strains were grown in batch cultures, during which 89 to 90% of the natively produced acetoin was converted to 20 to 22 mM d-2,3-butanediol. The addition of a racemic mixture of acetoin led to the production of both d-2,3-butanediol and meso-2,3-butanediol. A metabolic network that is in agreement with the experimental data is proposed. Native 2,3-butanediol production is a first step toward a potential homofermentative 2-butanol-producing strain of C. acetobutylicum.

A novel whole-cell biocatalyst with NAD+ regeneration for production of chiral chemicals

BACKGROUND

The high costs of pyridine nucleotide cofactors have limited the applications of NAD(P)-dependent oxidoreductases on an industrial scale. Although NAD(P)H regeneration systems have been widely studied, NAD(P)(+) regeneration, which is required in reactions where the oxidized form of the cofactor is used, has been less well explored, particularly in whole-cell biocatalytic processes.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Simultaneous overexpression of an NAD(+) dependent enzyme and an NAD(+) regenerating enzyme (H(2)O producing NADH oxidase from Lactobacillus brevis) in a whole-cell biocatalyst was studied for application in the NAD(+)-dependent oxidation system. The whole-cell biocatalyst with (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase as the catalyzing enzyme was used to produce (3R)-acetoin, (3S)-acetoin and (2S,3S)-2,3-butanediol.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

A recombinant strain, in which an NAD(+) regeneration enzyme was coexpressed, displayed significantly higher biocatalytic efficiency in terms of the production of chiral acetoin and (2S,3S)-2,3-butanediol. The application of this coexpression system to the production of other chiral chemicals could be extended by using different NAD(P)-dependent dehydrogenases that require NAD(P)(+) for catalysis.

Systems biology of recombinant protein production in Bacillus megaterium

Over the last two decades the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus megaterium was systematically developed to a useful alternative protein production host. Multiple vector systems for high yield intra- and extracellular protein production were constructed. Strong inducible promoters were combined with DNA sequences for optimised ribosome binding sites, various leader peptides for protein export and N- as well as C-terminal affinity tags for affinity chromatographic purification of the desired protein. High cell density cultivation and recombinant protein production were successfully tested. For further system biology based control and optimisation of the production process the genomes of two B. megaterium strains were completely elucidated, DNA arrays designed, proteome, fluxome and metabolome analyses performed and all data integrated using the bioinformatics platform MEGABAC. Now, solid theoretical and experimental bases for primary modeling attempts of the production process are available.

Enantioselective synthesis of pure (R,R)-2,3-butanediol in Escherichia coli with stereospecific secondary alcohol dehydrogenases

We characterized the activity and stereospecificity of four secondary alcohol dehydrogenases (sADHs) towards acetoin reduction and constructed synthetic pathways in E. coli to produce enantiomerically pure (R,R)-2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) from glucose with a titer of 6.1 g/L (enantio purity >99%), and yield of 0.31 g product/g glucose (62% of theoretical maximum).

Biotechnological production of 2,3-butanediol--current state and prospects

Biotechnological production of 2,3-butanediol (hereafter referred to as 2,3-BD) from wastes and excessive biomass is a promising and attractive alternative for traditional chemical synthesis. In the face of scarcity of fossil fuel supplies the bio-based process is receiving a significant interest, since 2,3-BD may have multiple practical applications (e.g. production of synthetic rubber, plasticizers, fumigants, as an antifreeze agent, fuel additive, octane booster, and many others). Although the 2,3-BD pathway is well known, microorganisms able to ferment biomass to 2,3-BD have been isolated and described, and attempts of pilot scale production of this compound were made, still much has to be done in order to achieve desired profitability. This review summarizes hitherto gained knowledge and experience in biotechnological production of 2,3-BD, sources of biomass used, employed microorganisms both wild type and genetically improved strains, as well as operating conditions applied.

Comparative analysis of the complete genome sequence of the plant growth-promoting bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 is a Gram-positive, plant-associated bacterium, which stimulates plant growth and produces secondary metabolites that suppress soil-borne plant pathogens. Its 3,918-kb genome, containing an estimated 3,693 protein-coding sequences, lacks extended phage insertions, which occur ubiquitously in the closely related Bacillus subtilis 168 genome. The B. amyloliquefaciens FZB42 genome reveals an unexpected potential to produce secondary metabolites, including the polyketides bacillaene and difficidin. More than 8.5% of the genome is devoted to synthesizing antibiotics and siderophores by pathways not involving ribosomes. Besides five gene clusters, known from B. subtilis to mediate nonribosomal synthesis of secondary metabolites, we identified four giant gene clusters absent in B. subtilis 168. The pks2 gene cluster encodes the components to synthesize the macrolactin core skeleton.